ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of IT and Telecom announced Pakistan is set to roll-out its first artificial intelligence (AI) policy over the next couple of months with a prime objective to boost cybersecurity, aiming to be in top 10-15 positions in the next Global Cybersecurity Index ranking from among top 40 countries at present.
While speaking at ‘Cyber Threat Intelligence 2024’, organized by Total Communications in Islamabad on Wednesday, Syed Junaid Imam, Member IT, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom, said Pakistan was actively working on developing AI policy.
“Probably in a couple of months-time, you will see Pakistan's first AI policy. There is special focus on AI for cybersecurity. There is a realization that AI is important for ensuring cyberspace.”
He said Pakistan jumped to Tier-1 (role-modelling) ranking and positioned among top 40 countries in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) in 2024 from 79th position in the past. “It is just a flag that we are taking steps and measures in the right direction. But we still have a long way to go.”
He said the government was actively working to strengthen digital infrastructure with the prime objective to bolster Pakistan’s digital economy.
“We cannot take Pakistan on the path of digital economy if we do not ensure cybersecurity,” Imam said.
“There is realization that the digital economy is the future of Pakistan. If we want Pakistan to take on the road of economic growth and prosperity, we have to ensure the digital transformation of the country.”
The digital infrastructure is fast developing. The national CERT (Computer/Cyber Emergency Response Team) has been established. “Now we are in the process of notifying the sectoral CERTs. In a month’s time you will see sectoral CERTs like in telecom, banking, education, and there will be provincial governments CERTs as well,” the Member IT Imam said.
All the CERTs would be sharing intelligence threats to better protect Pakistan and better progress in all directions nationwide.
He said the coordination and collaboration among stakeholders including industry, private sector, academia and the government remained the key towards achieving cybersecurity, digital economy and digital Pakistan.
Asad Effendi, Founder & CEO, Secure Networks, said “AI can help detecting cyber threats in real time and respond then and there and help protecting the valued data and information.”
Ammar Jaffri, Former Additional DG, FIA, and President, PISA Pakistan, said Bangladesh had paid a huge price in the past for lacking a formal forum at the national level to coordinate and collaborate to exchange the cyber threat intelligence in real time.
Igor Stolyarov, Technical Sales & Business Manager, Group IB, said Pakistan emerged high on the radar of cyber attackers and hackers in 2023. “Their primary targets are education, communication, military infrastructure sites and government sectors.”
Haytham Nassar, Cybersecurity Specialist, CISCO, said that Ransomware attackers were actually using valid accounts for data breach. “The hackers identify and use an account which has been remaining dormant for quite a long time to steal the information.”
The one-day conference also held two panel discussions on (1) Digital Cat and Mouse; Strategies to Outsmart Scrapers, Phishers and Thieves and (2) Harnessing AI for Cyber Security; Practical Solution or Hype.
Besides, it featured a fireside chat on The Role of AI for Optimizing Threat Detection & Response.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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